Tilsner Bldg. St. Paul, MN
Wardo
Sent from device with very tiny keys.
Sent from device with very tiny keys.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Sunday, January 04, 2009
Life Under The Saffron Robe - Conclusion
This is the conclusion of Suriya "Nuk" Chitchulanon's journal describing his Buddhist ordination ritual and subsequent monkhood. Start with part one.
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Lifetime Valuable Experience
If I used the blue sky as paper and the ocean as ink, it would not be enough to describe my entire incredible monastic experience. All Buddhist philosophies, terminologies, doctrines, and Pali scriptures that I studied in high school had come back to my memory. The teaching from Ajarn Ratana (the abbot) and other disciplined and talented monks was delivered to me with a keen sense of humor. They guided me to the noble way of life in the quest for suffering liberation, the truth of suffering, the cause/effect of suffering, the karma rule, the path to end suffering, and answered questions about meditation and the practice. In addition, I have discovered an important answer about living as a monk in a monastery. You need not to ordain if you want to learn the Buddhist philosophy and practice. It is primarily your good intentions and the effort level you give from your heart which are more powerful than carrying out the ordination.
To become a monk requires not only intention but also conviction. To remain a monk requires patience, discipline, and understanding. These attributes can be cultivated and will arise naturally with the development of meditation. With the right attitudes and balanced view of one's emontional changes, one will learn from the difficulties and gain understanding. Time spent as a monk will be a valuable and rewarding experience.
The End.
Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, conclusion.
---
Lifetime Valuable Experience
If I used the blue sky as paper and the ocean as ink, it would not be enough to describe my entire incredible monastic experience. All Buddhist philosophies, terminologies, doctrines, and Pali scriptures that I studied in high school had come back to my memory. The teaching from Ajarn Ratana (the abbot) and other disciplined and talented monks was delivered to me with a keen sense of humor. They guided me to the noble way of life in the quest for suffering liberation, the truth of suffering, the cause/effect of suffering, the karma rule, the path to end suffering, and answered questions about meditation and the practice. In addition, I have discovered an important answer about living as a monk in a monastery. You need not to ordain if you want to learn the Buddhist philosophy and practice. It is primarily your good intentions and the effort level you give from your heart which are more powerful than carrying out the ordination.
To become a monk requires not only intention but also conviction. To remain a monk requires patience, discipline, and understanding. These attributes can be cultivated and will arise naturally with the development of meditation. With the right attitudes and balanced view of one's emontional changes, one will learn from the difficulties and gain understanding. Time spent as a monk will be a valuable and rewarding experience.
The End.
Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, conclusion.
Life Under The Saffron Robe - Part 6
This is part 6 of Suriya "Nuk" Chitchulanon's journal describing his Buddhist ordination ritual and subsequent monkhood.
---
Some Challenges to Overcome
Prior my decision to become a monk, I was fully aware that I must live under 227 precepts and should follow monk’s rules and practice. I must give up the things I enjoyed in my laypersons lifestyle such as getting up late, watching American Idol or Hells Kitchen, going to the coffee shop, sitting on the couch, and sipping a dark mocha latte, partying and drinking Martini, and going to bed very late, etc. Those were obstacles that I need to overcome once I got use to and learned the true meaning behind the precepts.
One of the most challenging monastic lifestyle changes was to get up early at 4:30am to do the morning chanting. Usually if I do not have any appointment or travel plans or work, I never get up before 7:00am. However, for my 7-days as a monk, I could get up as early at 4:00am without any problem (of course, I went to bed at 9:30pm on the previous night). From what I experience in getting up early, I found that it was very refreshing. It was refreshing from the fresh air I breathed. My soul was peaceful and serene from the cool quiet morning. I could hear nothing but the creaking sound as I walked. Only a cup of warm herbal tea or warm water could wake me up all morning until the afternoon.
Another challenge as a monk was not to have dinner. This is according to one of the 227 precepts - rules of conduct. I was to abstain from eating at the wrong time (the right time was eating once, after sunrise, and again before noon). It was strange that I did not get hungry at night simply because I drank several glasses of warm water, tea, cider, chocolate malt, etc. There was also no hard exercise after sunset.
Dressing in robes was quite difficult for me. I spent about 15-30 minutes to dress myself prior chanting, breakfast, and lunch time. I kept trying again and again to tighten my robes and I seemed to have either too much robe left over or not enough. Several times I was sweating due to poorly fitted robes. I felt that I looked like a pear mascot. Let me explain briefly about how to put the monk robes on. The monk's wardrobe consists of an outer robe civara (Jivorn) and an under robe antaravassaka (Sabong) that is worn around the waist, covering the navel and falling to just below the knees. The Jivorn is large and is generally wrapped around the body with the two ends rolled together. The roll is taken over the left shoulder and under the left arm so that its end can be held in the left hand or pressed firmly between the arm and the body. Under Jivorn, on the top part of the body is worn a sort of sleeveless one-shouldered waistcoat (Ungsa) which is joined together on the left side by tying tags. The Sabong is held up by a fold and a tuck and a cord belt. For formal religious services inside he monastery, the monks also wears an additional robe (Sanghati) which is folded in a very particular way into a long rectangle and hung over the left shoulder.
Continued...
Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, conclusion.
---
Some Challenges to Overcome
Prior my decision to become a monk, I was fully aware that I must live under 227 precepts and should follow monk’s rules and practice. I must give up the things I enjoyed in my laypersons lifestyle such as getting up late, watching American Idol or Hells Kitchen, going to the coffee shop, sitting on the couch, and sipping a dark mocha latte, partying and drinking Martini, and going to bed very late, etc. Those were obstacles that I need to overcome once I got use to and learned the true meaning behind the precepts.
One of the most challenging monastic lifestyle changes was to get up early at 4:30am to do the morning chanting. Usually if I do not have any appointment or travel plans or work, I never get up before 7:00am. However, for my 7-days as a monk, I could get up as early at 4:00am without any problem (of course, I went to bed at 9:30pm on the previous night). From what I experience in getting up early, I found that it was very refreshing. It was refreshing from the fresh air I breathed. My soul was peaceful and serene from the cool quiet morning. I could hear nothing but the creaking sound as I walked. Only a cup of warm herbal tea or warm water could wake me up all morning until the afternoon.
Another challenge as a monk was not to have dinner. This is according to one of the 227 precepts - rules of conduct. I was to abstain from eating at the wrong time (the right time was eating once, after sunrise, and again before noon). It was strange that I did not get hungry at night simply because I drank several glasses of warm water, tea, cider, chocolate malt, etc. There was also no hard exercise after sunset.
Dressing in robes was quite difficult for me. I spent about 15-30 minutes to dress myself prior chanting, breakfast, and lunch time. I kept trying again and again to tighten my robes and I seemed to have either too much robe left over or not enough. Several times I was sweating due to poorly fitted robes. I felt that I looked like a pear mascot. Let me explain briefly about how to put the monk robes on. The monk's wardrobe consists of an outer robe civara (Jivorn) and an under robe antaravassaka (Sabong) that is worn around the waist, covering the navel and falling to just below the knees. The Jivorn is large and is generally wrapped around the body with the two ends rolled together. The roll is taken over the left shoulder and under the left arm so that its end can be held in the left hand or pressed firmly between the arm and the body. Under Jivorn, on the top part of the body is worn a sort of sleeveless one-shouldered waistcoat (Ungsa) which is joined together on the left side by tying tags. The Sabong is held up by a fold and a tuck and a cord belt. For formal religious services inside he monastery, the monks also wears an additional robe (Sanghati) which is folded in a very particular way into a long rectangle and hung over the left shoulder.
Continued...
Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, conclusion.
Life Under The Saffron Robe - Part 5
This is part 5 of Suriya "Nuk" Chitchulanon's journal describing his Buddhist ordination ritual and subsequent monkhood.
---
Daily Activities
During the transition from a layperson to a monk, I noticed that people reacted toward me differently. For example, everybody wai'd me regardless of age or gender, women are not allowed to touch me, laypersons used special phrases to address me as a monk, etc. I could not believe my life was changed instantly and my lifestyle was now shaped so as to support Buddhist spiritual practice, to live a simple and meditative life, and attain nirvana.
A typical day for Thai monks - they get up at 5:00am and get ready to go out on the alms round. They come back around 6:30am and have breakfast around 7:00am. Some temples do morning chant after breakfast, some do at 5:00am. At 11:00am, it is a lunch time and evening chant is normally at around 5:00pm or 6:00pm depending on the temple. The rest of the day is free time. They can do anything they like.
For my daily activity in the temple, I normally got up at about 4:30am and spent 10 to 15 minutes to tie on my robe. Putting on a monk’s wardrobe is not as easy as it looks and it, for some monks, could take up to at least one month to know how to wear their robes properly. For a few days, I asked other monks to help and teach me how to wrap this robe tight and secure and fit to my body. Each monk had his own way to wear his robe. At around 5:00am, a monk struck the temple bell to notify all that it was time for morning chanting. All monks including myself sat in front of a big Buddha statue and start chanting for 30-45 minutes. In the quiet environment, the sound of chanting was amazingly harmonious, melodious and peaceful, and my mind was somewhat hypnotized by the melody of the scripture. It was just a truly refreshing every time when I did morning and evening chant. Then we did meditation for 10-15 minutes. Meditation did help my mind focus, relieve stress, and calm my body. in most meditations my leg got numb due to “lotus sitting”. That was one thing that I need to keep practicing.
At 6:30am I went to the main hall for a breakfast preparation. There were 2-3 volunteers cooking breakfast and lunch for the monks. Unlike Mahayana Buddhist, Thai monks - Theravada - are allowed to eat many meats. Therefore, each breakfast or lunch consisted of meat dishes, veggie dishes, as well as thai dessert and fruits. I had to admit that every meal was really very good and I appreciated the chefs time and efforts to help carry out the temple activities. Breakfast started at 7:00am with a few prays. After breakfast, I normally took a shower, read and studied Buddhist texts, talked to the abbot, and sometimes took a nap.
Between 10:30am and 11:30am, it was a time to set up plates, spoons, forks, drinks; then lunchtime, and cleaning the dishes afterward. This was going to be the last meal of the day so I had to ensure I had enough food to avoid hunger at night. Yes, one of the 227 precepts is to abstain from eating outside the “proper time”. Traditionally, the “proper time” is from dawn until midday. From noon until dawn the following day, the Bikkhu is expected to fast. Fasting means avoiding solid foods (or anything that is chewable) but not liquids such as coffee, tea, juice, milk, etc.
In the afternoon, it was free time until 5:00pm. I normally spent time to read Buddhist books, or study Buddhist doctrine and scripture in the Pali language. Sometimes I chatted with the other monks, watched news on the internet, swept around the temple, cleaned the floor, or took a short nap. During this free time, I realized some things that I never before contemplated such as self discovery, happiness, monkhood lifestyle, meditation, real world versus religious world, etc.
At 5:00pm, the bell sounded began, all monks gathered in the Buddha room for evening chanting. It was basically similar to morning chanting except reciting different scripture. It was peaceful indeed.
In the evening, there were not many activities after evening chanting. I spent my precious time training my mind and learning Buddhist doctrinal principals and tenets, and practice the whole discipline as much as I could. There are so many things to learn and most of them not in the books. My normal bed time was 9:30pm.
Continued...
Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, conclusion.
---
Daily Activities
During the transition from a layperson to a monk, I noticed that people reacted toward me differently. For example, everybody wai'd me regardless of age or gender, women are not allowed to touch me, laypersons used special phrases to address me as a monk, etc. I could not believe my life was changed instantly and my lifestyle was now shaped so as to support Buddhist spiritual practice, to live a simple and meditative life, and attain nirvana.
A typical day for Thai monks - they get up at 5:00am and get ready to go out on the alms round. They come back around 6:30am and have breakfast around 7:00am. Some temples do morning chant after breakfast, some do at 5:00am. At 11:00am, it is a lunch time and evening chant is normally at around 5:00pm or 6:00pm depending on the temple. The rest of the day is free time. They can do anything they like.
For my daily activity in the temple, I normally got up at about 4:30am and spent 10 to 15 minutes to tie on my robe. Putting on a monk’s wardrobe is not as easy as it looks and it, for some monks, could take up to at least one month to know how to wear their robes properly. For a few days, I asked other monks to help and teach me how to wrap this robe tight and secure and fit to my body. Each monk had his own way to wear his robe. At around 5:00am, a monk struck the temple bell to notify all that it was time for morning chanting. All monks including myself sat in front of a big Buddha statue and start chanting for 30-45 minutes. In the quiet environment, the sound of chanting was amazingly harmonious, melodious and peaceful, and my mind was somewhat hypnotized by the melody of the scripture. It was just a truly refreshing every time when I did morning and evening chant. Then we did meditation for 10-15 minutes. Meditation did help my mind focus, relieve stress, and calm my body. in most meditations my leg got numb due to “lotus sitting”. That was one thing that I need to keep practicing.
At 6:30am I went to the main hall for a breakfast preparation. There were 2-3 volunteers cooking breakfast and lunch for the monks. Unlike Mahayana Buddhist, Thai monks - Theravada - are allowed to eat many meats. Therefore, each breakfast or lunch consisted of meat dishes, veggie dishes, as well as thai dessert and fruits. I had to admit that every meal was really very good and I appreciated the chefs time and efforts to help carry out the temple activities. Breakfast started at 7:00am with a few prays. After breakfast, I normally took a shower, read and studied Buddhist texts, talked to the abbot, and sometimes took a nap.
Between 10:30am and 11:30am, it was a time to set up plates, spoons, forks, drinks; then lunchtime, and cleaning the dishes afterward. This was going to be the last meal of the day so I had to ensure I had enough food to avoid hunger at night. Yes, one of the 227 precepts is to abstain from eating outside the “proper time”. Traditionally, the “proper time” is from dawn until midday. From noon until dawn the following day, the Bikkhu is expected to fast. Fasting means avoiding solid foods (or anything that is chewable) but not liquids such as coffee, tea, juice, milk, etc.
In the afternoon, it was free time until 5:00pm. I normally spent time to read Buddhist books, or study Buddhist doctrine and scripture in the Pali language. Sometimes I chatted with the other monks, watched news on the internet, swept around the temple, cleaned the floor, or took a short nap. During this free time, I realized some things that I never before contemplated such as self discovery, happiness, monkhood lifestyle, meditation, real world versus religious world, etc.
At 5:00pm, the bell sounded began, all monks gathered in the Buddha room for evening chanting. It was basically similar to morning chanting except reciting different scripture. It was peaceful indeed.
In the evening, there were not many activities after evening chanting. I spent my precious time training my mind and learning Buddhist doctrinal principals and tenets, and practice the whole discipline as much as I could. There are so many things to learn and most of them not in the books. My normal bed time was 9:30pm.
Continued...
Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, conclusion.
Life Under The Saffron Robe - Part 4
This is part 4 of Suriya "Nuk" Chitchulanon's journal describing his Buddhist ordination ritual and subsequent monkhood.
---
Ordination
The ordination ceremony started at 8:00am inside the hall where monks were assembled for rites. Five monks including the abbot sat surrounded me in a pentagonal arrangement. I sat facing toward the Buddha image towards the front of the hall. I was a little worried that I would forget the lines I was required to recite in Pali or do the wrong thing at the wrong time. After some introductory chanting, I came forward on my knees and entered the group of monks and did a prostration three times. Although I forgot some notes, I thought I did a good job in memorizing the Pali scripture. Five minutes later, Maha-Sunthorn placed the robes over on my forearms, joined my hands in respect and then started chanting in Pali for 5 more minutes. Then he taught me that being a monk (in the Sangha) is not that easy and requires patience, discipline, and individual devotional practice as a result of “seeing the truth of life”. At this point, he accepted me as a samanera (novice monk) who would be required to keep the ten precepts as the code of behavior. I took off my white shirt and Maha-Sunthorn placed the amsa (a saffron shoulder cloth) over my head covering my left shoulder. I chanted, which basically translated as: “I go to the Buddha for refuge. I go to the Dharma for refuge. I go to the Sangha for refuge” and then recited the ten precepts. He then ordered me to go with monks to get changed into the rest of my robes.
Once I was done changing my clothes from white lay to yellow monk, I stood behind the line (10 feet away from Buddha image) with my palms pressed together in a deep wai. What followed was a close examination to see whether I was fit to become a monk. Basically, I was about to be asked a series of questions in Pali (which is a foreign language to me). The first four I must answer “no, sir”. The fifth question is “Are you human?” and I must obviously switch to “yes sir” and continue like that for the remaining questions.
Two monks, Maha-Udom and Maha-Prasert, then approached me and started chanting in Pali which roughly translated as “Listen, Suriya. This is the time for the truth, the time for what is factual. You will be asked in the midst of the sangha about things which have occurred. Whatever is so should be affirmed. Whatever is not should be denied. Do not be embarrassed. Do not be confused.” Then the questions began….
Luckily, I answered them correctly. Maha-Udom and Maha-Prasert then returned to the assembly of monks and chanted that they had examined the applicant and I was ready, they would like to invite me to join the assembly. They agreed and I came forward and prostrated in front of them three times.
To become a full fledged monk or Bikkhu, I had to be given an alms bowl by a monk. I then requested to become a Bikkhu who would obey rules of conduct, 227 precepts as set out in the Vinaya, and is devoted to the Buddhist religious life. The alms bowl was then hung over my shoulder as the monks proceeded chanting and chanting. It went something like “I am free of obstructing factors. My bowl and robes are complete. I request acceptance from the Sangha”. Finally I was accepted as a monk!
Continued...
Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, conclusion.
---
Ordination
The ordination ceremony started at 8:00am inside the hall where monks were assembled for rites. Five monks including the abbot sat surrounded me in a pentagonal arrangement. I sat facing toward the Buddha image towards the front of the hall. I was a little worried that I would forget the lines I was required to recite in Pali or do the wrong thing at the wrong time. After some introductory chanting, I came forward on my knees and entered the group of monks and did a prostration three times. Although I forgot some notes, I thought I did a good job in memorizing the Pali scripture. Five minutes later, Maha-Sunthorn placed the robes over on my forearms, joined my hands in respect and then started chanting in Pali for 5 more minutes. Then he taught me that being a monk (in the Sangha) is not that easy and requires patience, discipline, and individual devotional practice as a result of “seeing the truth of life”. At this point, he accepted me as a samanera (novice monk) who would be required to keep the ten precepts as the code of behavior. I took off my white shirt and Maha-Sunthorn placed the amsa (a saffron shoulder cloth) over my head covering my left shoulder. I chanted, which basically translated as: “I go to the Buddha for refuge. I go to the Dharma for refuge. I go to the Sangha for refuge” and then recited the ten precepts. He then ordered me to go with monks to get changed into the rest of my robes.
Once I was done changing my clothes from white lay to yellow monk, I stood behind the line (10 feet away from Buddha image) with my palms pressed together in a deep wai. What followed was a close examination to see whether I was fit to become a monk. Basically, I was about to be asked a series of questions in Pali (which is a foreign language to me). The first four I must answer “no, sir”. The fifth question is “Are you human?” and I must obviously switch to “yes sir” and continue like that for the remaining questions.
Two monks, Maha-Udom and Maha-Prasert, then approached me and started chanting in Pali which roughly translated as “Listen, Suriya. This is the time for the truth, the time for what is factual. You will be asked in the midst of the sangha about things which have occurred. Whatever is so should be affirmed. Whatever is not should be denied. Do not be embarrassed. Do not be confused.” Then the questions began….
Luckily, I answered them correctly. Maha-Udom and Maha-Prasert then returned to the assembly of monks and chanted that they had examined the applicant and I was ready, they would like to invite me to join the assembly. They agreed and I came forward and prostrated in front of them three times.
To become a full fledged monk or Bikkhu, I had to be given an alms bowl by a monk. I then requested to become a Bikkhu who would obey rules of conduct, 227 precepts as set out in the Vinaya, and is devoted to the Buddhist religious life. The alms bowl was then hung over my shoulder as the monks proceeded chanting and chanting. It went something like “I am free of obstructing factors. My bowl and robes are complete. I request acceptance from the Sangha”. Finally I was accepted as a monk!
Continued...
Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, conclusion.
Life Under The Saffron Robe - Part 3
This is part 3 of Suriya "Nuk" Chitchulanon's journal describing his Buddhist ordination ritual and subsequent monkhood.
---
Head Shaving
Saturday night was my first night staying at the temple where all monks resided. It was 8:30pm and everyone was in their room. I asked myself “Did they go to bed at 8:30pm? I guess so. They need to wake up at 4:30m, don’t they?”
I went into my bedroom up on the third floor. It was a simple bedroom - basically a bed and room. There was a thin sheet on a futon, two thin pillows, a blanket, two book shelves, a desk, a chair, and the sport bag I brought along. No TV, no radio, no computer, and no clock in this room! Well, what can I say? There was nothing to do but to take a shower and get ready for a big day tomorrow.
I awoke at 4:30am the next morning and stayed in my room. The sound of a large bell chime hit by a wooden stick wrapped with cloth signaled the monks to their morning chant at 5:00am. I was still in bed on a futon covered by a very thin sheet... half awake, half sleep. I could hear a resonant chanting by the monks that sounded so peaceful. Then I fully woke up at 6:00am and opened the door to my room. Maha-Sunthorn, the senior monk, and another monk – Maha Aram - were waiting for me. “We shall shave your head now” – said Maha Aram.
Needless to say, I nodded my head and acknowledged his statement. If my parents were here, they would cut a lock of my hair then a monk would shave my whole head. Maha-Aram asked me if I preferred an electric clipper or a traditional razor. I had no preference, so shaving head was performed in the bathroom my Maha Aram with an electric clipper.
As an electric clipper began, I was thinking to myself “Is this real? Am I dreaming?” I guessed that I was still in a state of unbelief until I saw a lock of my hair drop into a waste basket. That moment I realized I couldn’t turn back. I tried to be calm as he was shaving my entire head and my eyebrows as well (Thai style). It took about half hour to make my head bald. I rinsed my hair off, dressed in white, and looked into a mirror for the first time after my shave. This ritual was a renouncement to my former life.
Prior to the ordination ceremony, Maha-Sunthorn asked me about my birthday, my parents’ names, and my educational background. Based on the information provided, he named me “Api Panyo” which means “scholar”. This was my monk name which would be used in the ordination ceremony. Later, we rehearsed the ordination steps such as how to recite passages in Pali – an ancient language of the scriptures, the five-point prostration, and how to sit in the proper way, etc.
At that moment, I wore white and I was considered a "Naga". In Buddhist legend, Naga generally takes the form of a large cobra-like snake, usually with a single head but sometimes with many. The story goes that Naga disguised himself as a human being in order to become a monk. The Lord Buddha discovered this trickery. Then Naga was not allowed to become a monk but since this time all candidates to monkhood are called Naga. Ward and Chris were surprised when they arrived at 7:30am an saw me without my hair. They thought that the head shaving would be part of the ordination ceremony.
Continued...
Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, conclusion.
---
Head Shaving
Saturday night was my first night staying at the temple where all monks resided. It was 8:30pm and everyone was in their room. I asked myself “Did they go to bed at 8:30pm? I guess so. They need to wake up at 4:30m, don’t they?”
I went into my bedroom up on the third floor. It was a simple bedroom - basically a bed and room. There was a thin sheet on a futon, two thin pillows, a blanket, two book shelves, a desk, a chair, and the sport bag I brought along. No TV, no radio, no computer, and no clock in this room! Well, what can I say? There was nothing to do but to take a shower and get ready for a big day tomorrow.
I awoke at 4:30am the next morning and stayed in my room. The sound of a large bell chime hit by a wooden stick wrapped with cloth signaled the monks to their morning chant at 5:00am. I was still in bed on a futon covered by a very thin sheet... half awake, half sleep. I could hear a resonant chanting by the monks that sounded so peaceful. Then I fully woke up at 6:00am and opened the door to my room. Maha-Sunthorn, the senior monk, and another monk – Maha Aram - were waiting for me. “We shall shave your head now” – said Maha Aram.
Needless to say, I nodded my head and acknowledged his statement. If my parents were here, they would cut a lock of my hair then a monk would shave my whole head. Maha-Aram asked me if I preferred an electric clipper or a traditional razor. I had no preference, so shaving head was performed in the bathroom my Maha Aram with an electric clipper.
As an electric clipper began, I was thinking to myself “Is this real? Am I dreaming?” I guessed that I was still in a state of unbelief until I saw a lock of my hair drop into a waste basket. That moment I realized I couldn’t turn back. I tried to be calm as he was shaving my entire head and my eyebrows as well (Thai style). It took about half hour to make my head bald. I rinsed my hair off, dressed in white, and looked into a mirror for the first time after my shave. This ritual was a renouncement to my former life.
Prior to the ordination ceremony, Maha-Sunthorn asked me about my birthday, my parents’ names, and my educational background. Based on the information provided, he named me “Api Panyo” which means “scholar”. This was my monk name which would be used in the ordination ceremony. Later, we rehearsed the ordination steps such as how to recite passages in Pali – an ancient language of the scriptures, the five-point prostration, and how to sit in the proper way, etc.
At that moment, I wore white and I was considered a "Naga". In Buddhist legend, Naga generally takes the form of a large cobra-like snake, usually with a single head but sometimes with many. The story goes that Naga disguised himself as a human being in order to become a monk. The Lord Buddha discovered this trickery. Then Naga was not allowed to become a monk but since this time all candidates to monkhood are called Naga. Ward and Chris were surprised when they arrived at 7:30am an saw me without my hair. They thought that the head shaving would be part of the ordination ceremony.
Continued...
Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, conclusion.
Life Under The Saffron Robe - Part 2
This is part 2 Suriya "Nuk" Chitchulanon's journal describing his Buddhist ordination ritual and subsequent monkhood.
---
Journey Began
At 8:00am on Saturday November 22, Ward and I hit the road to Chicago. It was a decent day, some flurries but not too cold. We had breakfast at the Norske Nook in Osseo, Wisconsin where their pies are very popular. Then we continued driving to Chicago and meet Ward’s younger brother, Chris. He lives 10 minutes away from downtown Chicago and fairly close to the Wat.
At 4:00pm Ward drove while Chris was navigated to the temple. My heart was pounding, as I had no idea what to expect. Then we arrived at the destination – Wat Phrasriratanamahadhatu. I got out of the car and looked around to see whether the house number was the right address, I was stunned! “Is this the temple that I decided to stay for a week?” I said to myself... but no words came out of my mouth. The temple seemed to be just regular house, kinda old and abandoned looking with a few leafless trees. There was no distinction between this temple and the surrounding residential housing along the street except the fairly prominent wooden-sign in the front yard that read “Wat Phrasriratanamahadhatu” in English and Thai.
I went to the front door and looked through the window. I couldn’t see anything except the curtain. It was dark inside. There was a small note posted on the wall that directed visitors to go to the back door. Still a bit taken aback, I asked Chris and Ward to wait for me while I walked to the back of the temple. Unlike the front of the temple, the back had a big parking space that could hold up to 10 cars. I came back around and asked Ward to park in this private parking area. Then I notices across the alley from the back of this house, there was a separate building with sinage in Thai, a large hall (in Thai called “Sa-la”) that could accomodate up to 200 people easily. So the Wat consisted of several buildings.
Ward parked and we all three opened the back door to the house and were looking around. It was as quiet as the cabin in Minaki where I used to stay with Wards family up in Canada, except no loons. The entire floor was made of wood that creaked every time we walked. We sat down in a dining area near a small Buddha room to the left side. We could see dim light shining from the big Buddha room in front of us. “Hi”- greeted an elderly monk – Maha-Sunthorn. He grinned mischeviously and talked to us. I talked to him about the purpose of my trip. He knew who I was since he remembered my phone call almost a month ago. However, he couldn’t make any decision nor give me any further information about what I supposed to do. I asked him whether I could ordain tomorrow but he could not give me an answer, he smiled. He asked me to come back at 6:30pm as the abbot was not in at the moment. My nervous feelings returned and I started to wonder as to whether or not my journey to the Buddhist world would succeed. My thoughts turned inward and I started asking myself several “what-if” questions. “What if he said I can’t ordain tomorrow due to bad date? What if the abbot forgot about my ordination and was not prepared? What if he said I can’t return to lay life the Sunday after next as I had planned?” “What if … and what if…”
To pass the time until the abbot returned, Ward and Chris took me to the dinner nearby. Knowing that I would not be able to have dinner during my monkhood, we all went to a nice sushi place. During dinner, my what-if questions were still lingering on and off. “What kind of test does Buddha want to give me?” I feel this way whenever something strange happens to me.
It was 6:30pm and I needed to see the abbot to find out whether or not my ordination was OK for the next day. I rushed out of the sushi restaurant to the temple. The back door was closed and the light was off. “Was I late? Should I ring the bell again?” - I was afraid of waking the monks up.
“DING!”... one minute later, the abbot- Venerable Ajarn Ratana, came to the door. He looked vigorously, wisely, yet calm. He asked me a few questions. I was tense. He was aware of my journey, the challenge of my life. He still didn’t answer whether or not it was OK to ordain the next day. He also didn’t reply whether the next Sunday I could disrobe to be a layperson again. He looked through his book for a short moment and finally accepted my request formally. My worries were taken away and my body was light as if I was a piece of cotton. My mind was cleared. Ward & Chris then returned from the restaurant, after a few beers. The abbot gave us all a talk in English about Buddhist philosophy and life. This man was seriously amazing to meet and very wise. Their alcohol level from dinner immediately dropped down to zero.
Continued...
Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, conclusion.
---
Journey Began
At 8:00am on Saturday November 22, Ward and I hit the road to Chicago. It was a decent day, some flurries but not too cold. We had breakfast at the Norske Nook in Osseo, Wisconsin where their pies are very popular. Then we continued driving to Chicago and meet Ward’s younger brother, Chris. He lives 10 minutes away from downtown Chicago and fairly close to the Wat.
At 4:00pm Ward drove while Chris was navigated to the temple. My heart was pounding, as I had no idea what to expect. Then we arrived at the destination – Wat Phrasriratanamahadhatu. I got out of the car and looked around to see whether the house number was the right address, I was stunned! “Is this the temple that I decided to stay for a week?” I said to myself... but no words came out of my mouth. The temple seemed to be just regular house, kinda old and abandoned looking with a few leafless trees. There was no distinction between this temple and the surrounding residential housing along the street except the fairly prominent wooden-sign in the front yard that read “Wat Phrasriratanamahadhatu” in English and Thai.
I went to the front door and looked through the window. I couldn’t see anything except the curtain. It was dark inside. There was a small note posted on the wall that directed visitors to go to the back door. Still a bit taken aback, I asked Chris and Ward to wait for me while I walked to the back of the temple. Unlike the front of the temple, the back had a big parking space that could hold up to 10 cars. I came back around and asked Ward to park in this private parking area. Then I notices across the alley from the back of this house, there was a separate building with sinage in Thai, a large hall (in Thai called “Sa-la”) that could accomodate up to 200 people easily. So the Wat consisted of several buildings.
Ward parked and we all three opened the back door to the house and were looking around. It was as quiet as the cabin in Minaki where I used to stay with Wards family up in Canada, except no loons. The entire floor was made of wood that creaked every time we walked. We sat down in a dining area near a small Buddha room to the left side. We could see dim light shining from the big Buddha room in front of us. “Hi”- greeted an elderly monk – Maha-Sunthorn. He grinned mischeviously and talked to us. I talked to him about the purpose of my trip. He knew who I was since he remembered my phone call almost a month ago. However, he couldn’t make any decision nor give me any further information about what I supposed to do. I asked him whether I could ordain tomorrow but he could not give me an answer, he smiled. He asked me to come back at 6:30pm as the abbot was not in at the moment. My nervous feelings returned and I started to wonder as to whether or not my journey to the Buddhist world would succeed. My thoughts turned inward and I started asking myself several “what-if” questions. “What if he said I can’t ordain tomorrow due to bad date? What if the abbot forgot about my ordination and was not prepared? What if he said I can’t return to lay life the Sunday after next as I had planned?” “What if … and what if…”
To pass the time until the abbot returned, Ward and Chris took me to the dinner nearby. Knowing that I would not be able to have dinner during my monkhood, we all went to a nice sushi place. During dinner, my what-if questions were still lingering on and off. “What kind of test does Buddha want to give me?” I feel this way whenever something strange happens to me.
It was 6:30pm and I needed to see the abbot to find out whether or not my ordination was OK for the next day. I rushed out of the sushi restaurant to the temple. The back door was closed and the light was off. “Was I late? Should I ring the bell again?” - I was afraid of waking the monks up.
“DING!”... one minute later, the abbot- Venerable Ajarn Ratana, came to the door. He looked vigorously, wisely, yet calm. He asked me a few questions. I was tense. He was aware of my journey, the challenge of my life. He still didn’t answer whether or not it was OK to ordain the next day. He also didn’t reply whether the next Sunday I could disrobe to be a layperson again. He looked through his book for a short moment and finally accepted my request formally. My worries were taken away and my body was light as if I was a piece of cotton. My mind was cleared. Ward & Chris then returned from the restaurant, after a few beers. The abbot gave us all a talk in English about Buddhist philosophy and life. This man was seriously amazing to meet and very wise. Their alcohol level from dinner immediately dropped down to zero.
Continued...
Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, conclusion.
Life Under The Saffron Robe - Part 1
This is part 1 of Suriya "Nuk" Chitchulanon's journal describing his Buddhist ordination ritual and subsequent monkhood. He undertook this journey in November 2008.
---
Finally the big day arrived. It was Saturday afternoon November 22nd after a 7-hour long drive from St Paul Minnesota to Chicago. It was the day that I had been waiting for, for years. I was about to reach my goal – to become ordained as a Buddhist monk. The reason why I wanted to become a monk was primarily to give merit to my parents, but also to make good on a promise I had made. I also wanted to seek answers to the questions about life that I could not find in the lay world.
October-November Preparations
Last month, I realized that I still had vacation time I needed to use or lose before the end of the year. I would normally spend my vacation to travel abroad to Canada or to Thailand. But this time, I decided to take a short excursion into the mind and spiritual world. After reviewing my calendar, I decided to take the opportunity to take my vacation during Thanksgiving week for a total of 7 days off.
Deciding on the right monastery to approach for this quest was not easy. I spent quite a bit of time to think and to do research on which temple would be the best one. My first step was to pick a city. I chose Chicago because Thai community there is much larger than the one in Minnesota and I wanted to meet new faces and make new friends. Then, selecting a temple was my second step. Nowadays people are finding their information through the internet. Yes, I Googled it and somehow I picked “Wat Phrasriratanamahadhatu” as my final answer. Although this Wat (temple) had no website, the Wat’s name also appeared in 4-5 other websites. The only information I had this far was the Wat’s address, phone number, a little bit about Wat’s history and a picture. That’s it! I guess the reason why I chose this temple was because its name sounded beautiful to me.
Now that the step of finding a temple was over, the next step was to contact the abbot and ask him whether his temple accepts novice ordinations as short as 7-days. Traditionally, most temples only allow men to ordain for at least 1-3 month. They believe that in order for new monks to gain knowledge from the Buddhist teachings (from texts and sermons given by the abbot), and live under 227 precepts with discipline effectively, it would take 1 to 3 months. However, in the modern world, most men no longer spend that much time in the temple due to family and work obligations. Even so, I made phone calls to the Wat and tried to talk to the abbot. Most of my calls were picked up by the senior monk or other monks who would only take a message for the abbot. Luckily I had a few chances to talk to the abbot himself, Ajarn Ratana, and asked as many questions as I could, but it was never enough. He accepted my request to become a monk for a 7-day term and told me the temple would provide monk clothes and robe.
After obtaining the abbot’s permission, I informed my parents and asked their permission as well. Actually we had discussed this the last time I went back home to Thailand in 2007. In fact, I was very close to entering into an ordination in Thailand but the opportunity was not right then. I called my parents about the ordination in Chicago. I answered their questions about place and time. Although they were unable to attend themselves they were extremely pleased, joyful and proud.
In order to complete the requirements for pre-ordination, I would normally visit my parents, teachers, and friends whom I revere and care for to inform them about my “ordination leaving”. If I were in Thailand, I would have to dress in white, buy incense, a candle and a lotus. Bring these to them and ask for forgiveness from whatever I have done in the past that may have hurt them physically, verbally or mentally. They would then bless me in return. Because I live America, I arranged to meet my close friends and mentors to ask them for forgiveness and called my parents for forgiveness as well.
By the way, the process wouldn’t have been a success without Ward. He did some Web research behind the scenes and sent an email to our families and friends to educate them about this event how important it was to me. I got many contributions for the offering to the temple and tremendous support from our families and friends. I was speechless. This outpouring of support really touched my heart! All contributions would be offered to be wisely spent for the monks daily basic needs. Among other items white clothes a yellow sweater were donated to the Wat during the ceremony.
Continued...
Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, conclusion.
---
Finally the big day arrived. It was Saturday afternoon November 22nd after a 7-hour long drive from St Paul Minnesota to Chicago. It was the day that I had been waiting for, for years. I was about to reach my goal – to become ordained as a Buddhist monk. The reason why I wanted to become a monk was primarily to give merit to my parents, but also to make good on a promise I had made. I also wanted to seek answers to the questions about life that I could not find in the lay world.
October-November Preparations
Last month, I realized that I still had vacation time I needed to use or lose before the end of the year. I would normally spend my vacation to travel abroad to Canada or to Thailand. But this time, I decided to take a short excursion into the mind and spiritual world. After reviewing my calendar, I decided to take the opportunity to take my vacation during Thanksgiving week for a total of 7 days off.
Deciding on the right monastery to approach for this quest was not easy. I spent quite a bit of time to think and to do research on which temple would be the best one. My first step was to pick a city. I chose Chicago because Thai community there is much larger than the one in Minnesota and I wanted to meet new faces and make new friends. Then, selecting a temple was my second step. Nowadays people are finding their information through the internet. Yes, I Googled it and somehow I picked “Wat Phrasriratanamahadhatu” as my final answer. Although this Wat (temple) had no website, the Wat’s name also appeared in 4-5 other websites. The only information I had this far was the Wat’s address, phone number, a little bit about Wat’s history and a picture. That’s it! I guess the reason why I chose this temple was because its name sounded beautiful to me.
Now that the step of finding a temple was over, the next step was to contact the abbot and ask him whether his temple accepts novice ordinations as short as 7-days. Traditionally, most temples only allow men to ordain for at least 1-3 month. They believe that in order for new monks to gain knowledge from the Buddhist teachings (from texts and sermons given by the abbot), and live under 227 precepts with discipline effectively, it would take 1 to 3 months. However, in the modern world, most men no longer spend that much time in the temple due to family and work obligations. Even so, I made phone calls to the Wat and tried to talk to the abbot. Most of my calls were picked up by the senior monk or other monks who would only take a message for the abbot. Luckily I had a few chances to talk to the abbot himself, Ajarn Ratana, and asked as many questions as I could, but it was never enough. He accepted my request to become a monk for a 7-day term and told me the temple would provide monk clothes and robe.
After obtaining the abbot’s permission, I informed my parents and asked their permission as well. Actually we had discussed this the last time I went back home to Thailand in 2007. In fact, I was very close to entering into an ordination in Thailand but the opportunity was not right then. I called my parents about the ordination in Chicago. I answered their questions about place and time. Although they were unable to attend themselves they were extremely pleased, joyful and proud.
In order to complete the requirements for pre-ordination, I would normally visit my parents, teachers, and friends whom I revere and care for to inform them about my “ordination leaving”. If I were in Thailand, I would have to dress in white, buy incense, a candle and a lotus. Bring these to them and ask for forgiveness from whatever I have done in the past that may have hurt them physically, verbally or mentally. They would then bless me in return. Because I live America, I arranged to meet my close friends and mentors to ask them for forgiveness and called my parents for forgiveness as well.
By the way, the process wouldn’t have been a success without Ward. He did some Web research behind the scenes and sent an email to our families and friends to educate them about this event how important it was to me. I got many contributions for the offering to the temple and tremendous support from our families and friends. I was speechless. This outpouring of support really touched my heart! All contributions would be offered to be wisely spent for the monks daily basic needs. Among other items white clothes a yellow sweater were donated to the Wat during the ceremony.
Continued...
Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, conclusion.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Top Travel Twitter Tips
"Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service, that allows its users to send and read other users' updates (otherwise known as tweets), which are text-based posts of up to 140 characters in length." - WikipediaI highly recommend using Twitter (tweeting) with Twinkle while traveling. Tips from followers and local information from nearby Twitterers prove very valuable.
Twinkle is a Twitter app for iPhone that uses the iPhone's geolocation function. You can also upload photos to reference in your tweets. This useful iPhone app was created by Tapulous.
Here are my top tips for using Twitter when you travel:
- Don't tweet while you are driving - Tweet only when you are a passenger or are safely stopped.
- Tweet when you are hungry - Locals may chime in with a great place to stop and eat.
- Tweet the local traffic conditions (when you are in a traffic jam) - Fellow Twinklers may suggest alternate routes.
- Tweet the weather conditions - Online weather maps are useful, but an evaluation by locals or fellow travelers may be a lifesaver.
- Tweet your ETA - Let folks at ome know you are safe.
- Tweet when you are bored - Tweetdom may suggest interesting nearby points of interest.
- Tweet a photo when you see something unusual - Comments on your photo can be useful feedback for your return trip.
- Tweet local fuel prices - Fuel prices can vary surprisingly on a day trip. Gas prices on the way to Chicago ranged from $1.59 to nearly $2.00. Know when to fill up.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Nuk was ordained a Buddhist Monk
Nuk was ordained on Sunday November 23, 2008 at about 9am at Wat Phrasriratanamahadhatu, a Theravada Buddhist temple in Chicago. This was an extremely important event to Nuk and his family. I sponsored Nuk, but many people contributed to the ordination.
Follow this link to see additional ordination photos
My younger brother Chris and I attended as well as a few of Nuk's friends. A few local Thai temple visitors also attended.
Five monks participated in the ceremony which was was overseen by the Abbot, Ven. Ratana Thontkrajai (an amazing man).
Chris and I arrived at the Temple at 7:30 am. Nuk, who had spent the night at the temple, was already shorn, Thai-style (head and eyebrows), when we got there.
Right before he became a monk Nuk was helping the lay temple assistants with the meal. One of these assistants was a woman. He worked closely with her to serve food and move tables in the dining hall. After the ceremony none of the women came too close to Nuk. Monks are not allowed to come into contact with women.
Nuk called his parents right before the ceremony so that their thoughts could be with Nuk during this important cultural rite of passage.
Offerings were made in the names of all who contributed. Everyone that attended the ordination touched the hem of Nuk's new monk robes as he made the offering to receive merit.
His new monk name is Api Panyo which roughly means "scholar".
Here is some more information on the ceremony and what the typical daily routine is for a Thai monk.
Friday, October 31, 2008
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